Spring Turkey in Arizona:

Communicate, Move, Communicate,

SHOOT!

Many turkey hunters, including myself, use this method. Hunting in the west for the Merriam’s Turkey is a little different from hunting the Eastern, Rio Grande, and Osceola Turkey’s. The reason I feel that we have to approach our western turkey’s differently from their eastern cousins is due to the terrain. Most of the country that we hunt our turkeys in is very mountainess. I took my wife, Annette, on her first spring hunt last year and she asked, " Are we hunting sheep or turkey’s?" The Merriam’s turkey is the Rocky Mountain sub-specie I find most of my turkeys up on top of steep ridges. This article is going to be very short and to the point. Don’t try and over analyze.

Turkey’s are very mobile, vocal and social. They also have some vulnerable weaknesses. By capitalizing on these weaknesses you can improve your odds greatly. One of those weaknesses is their reactionary gobble. This can be accomplished by using a locator call to make a tom "shock" gobble. I use three sounds to do this; a coyote howl, a crow call and an owl hooter. The coyote howl used just before sun up and right after sun set is one of the most effective here in Arizona. I feel the owl hooter is a close second, used in the same time frames as the coyote howler. The crow call is used during the day while the turkeys are out and about.

Once you have the turkeys located you need to mark it on a G.P.S. or map. Now in the event you can’t find that tree, go ahead and try a coyote howl or an owl hoot. This will usually result in getting them to gobble. But when you get them located you will need to determine which turkey will be easiest to get to. You will also need to find out where his most likely "fly down" area will be. Turkeys need a flat area to land. Be on the look out for the "fly down" area for the toms you have roosted. They like flat areas where it is somewhat open to get that early morning strut and gobble in. One key thing to remember is when you start to call them in you want to get in his way. The main reason you want to do this is because we as hunters are trying to force Mother Nature to work backwards. The hens go to the toms, not the toms to the hens. That is why calling in gobblers is so hard. You have to get in their way to where they want to go. Where the hens are. The hens don’t usually roost in the same area or trees as the toms. There are 2 ways to locate the hens roost trees. The first way is to find some of the large old growth pines that are near their water and food sources. The hens roost as well as the toms will have droppings around it. The hens droppings are straight and the toms are shaped like a "J". There will be allot of "it" around the base of the trees. Another way to distinguish the difference between the 2 types of roosts will be the feathers you find on the ground. If you find wing feathers on the ground and the ends appear to broke off you have found a toms roost. The other method is the easiest, be up and on a ridge top near the area closest to where you have seen the most sign the day before opening day. When these hens start to wake they will start to "tree yelp". When that happens the toms can’t resist it and will start to gobble. Mark your location and be at the half waypoint on opening morning. These are the spots where you want set up to call in Mr. Long Beard so you can fill that tag.

Well now doesn’t that sound easy? Believe it or not, my hunts happen like that every now and then. For the rest of the times that those big toms don’t come off that tree where I want them to, I Communicate, Move, Communicate and Shoot. (Well I hope I get to shoot.) What I mean by all that is to get the gobbler talking and keep him that way. What I have found is that these toms have already picked out a place to go for those willing hens to meet him. Remember the hens come to the toms, not the toms to the hens. This is where they strut and try to coax in a willing female companion to give in to their really cool strutting and gobbling. Usually when you have them talking and they refuse to come to your calling but keep gobbling and going away from you, follow them. More times than others the tom will move up hill. Stay behind him and communicate while you move, but be careful not to get too close. Also don’t over call to them. Keep you yelps just loud enough for them to hear it and don’t call too much. You just want to let him know you are still there. Try and let him dictate who will be doing the talking. If he is just gobbling his head off keep you calls to a minimum. If he is only gobbling one in a while pick up the pace. Once you notice that he sounds like he is staying in one area you will need to assess the terrain for your final approach. Decide on how you can approach the area to set up and make those final seductive calls, bringing him in. You will be close enough to his territory that he would feel comfortable enough to close the gap for you to get a good shot at your trophy.

Remember to stay mobile and keep the lines of communication open. When you are calling to these love sick birds let them dictate how much you will call and what calls you might need to make. I will be providing that information on the next article. Also be looking for an article on scouting techniques for your spring hunt. If you have any questions about this article you can post them on the hunter chat.

Good Luck and Best Wishes,

Louis Urquides,

Hunting Editor for AZOD